Chute



May 11 1926.

R. R. HOWELL CHUTE Filed lay 19, 1924` [NVE/vrai? ROBERT/E HOWELL Y. 'BYGDQMZM-QWM" l Hal/'L rr'oRA/Ens Patented May 11,1926.

RoBERTn. HOWELL, oF MYINNEAPoLIs-MINNESOTA. v

CHUTE.

This invention relates to new and-useful improvements in chutesparticularly adapted for use to 1 convey small articles such4 as potatoes, andthe like, from an upper to a lower floor or bin, and more vparticularly-relates to such chutes which, when open,-w1ll -be .zigzagged in form. This novel apparatus comprises a hopper and a plurality of simu lar sections pivotally connected together and provided' with suitable stops .whereby when y the chute isiin open operative position, the sections will assume angular posit-ions in opposed relation 'to onev another in a zignagging'mannenv VrIhe angle of each section, when thus positioned, is such. as to deiiect and retard 'the downwardtravel ofthe potatoes or other articles being passed through the chute to a lower` level, thereby eliminating any danger ofbruising thek potatoes, when being thus conveyed'from one floor or bin to the next. The chute is-provided with means whereby it may be suspended from an openingin a floor or bin and depend there from to the receiving means. It is also adapted to be folded, and is so arranged that as lthe-bin fills, `the lower sections *may be successively folded and raised sofas to reduce to a lminimurirthe distance between the dischargeend ofy the chute 4andf thepotatoes or articles in the bin, thereby avoiding any sudden ydropof the potatoes. y

The object of this invention therefore is to provide an improved chute of simple and inexpensive construction.

` A further and more specific object is to provide such an apparatus of the class described having a plurality of sections which may quickly and conveniently be opened to operable angular position, and which sections may be successively folded from the bottom while the chute is in operation.

Other objects of this invention will ap-` pear from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the drawings, there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims wh ch follow.

1n the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved chute in open position;

the sectionsthereof.

- ApplicationV med' may :'19, 49274; .serian Nq. 714,429.

Figure 2 isa perspective- View ofthechute also yshownig itopen; v Y Figure 3 is a perspective viewshowingth v1.1m-freNbr i loFFi'Cire-.fi

Vchute partially4 folded, and

. Figure 4 .is a sectional viewoftlie hopper .Tn the selected embodiment ofthe inven- Ationhe're shownthere is illustrateda chutey comprising a hopper 5 having ya pair ofL supporting bars 6 'secured toethewfuppereend thereof. 'adapt-ed to` straddlean, opening 7 in afloor yor bin to provide asupporttherefor, as shown in Figure 1. The chute prefer,- ably consists'of 1aplurality of y sections pivotally connectedtogether so thatfthey may be opened to the'position` shown-in Figures vland 2. Each sectionpreferably comprises opposedlside members 8 arrangedV in spaced parallelrelation and secured together -by means of pair of cross members 9 and 10 :interposed therebetween. Suitable tie-rods or bolts 11 are preferably passed through the side members and cross members a nd terminally threaded toreceive in threaded: engagement thereon, "nuts" "12v whereby such side'members and cross bars may be securely tied together..

The carrying portion'V ofeachsection oonsist-s of a web 13 of iiexiblematerial-such as canvas' which is secured to;v the side members by means of suitable straps 111, the upper edge thereof preferably being secured to the upper cross member 9 as particularlyV shown in `Figure 4a The means provided for piv- Vat r`the Vupper Vendl of the chu e'- and. oneof.,

otally. connecting the sections together, con-l sists of metallic straps 15 having their lower ends secured to the side members 8 and having their upper end pivotally connected to the adjacent sections by` means of the pivot pins 16. Stop lugs 17 are provided on each section adapted to be engaged by the straps 15 when the sections are in open angularp'o-v sition as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2.

` Means are also provided whereby the sections may be conveniently folded to increase or decrease the effective length of the chute. Such means preferably consists in the pro vision of a cord or rope 18 on each side of the chute having thin lower ends secured to the lowermost section 19. A loop 21 is provided on eachk side ofeach section through which the ropes are passed as shown in the drawings. These loops function to guide the rope as the chute is folded and unfolded.

The upper end of each rope preferably passes through a suitable locking means such as the self-locking pulleys 22. These pulleys may be conveniently secured to the supporting bars 6 of the hopper at apoint where the ropes may be Vconveniently reached. rlhus when it is desired to adjust the length of the chute, the free ends of the two ropes will be released fromfthe self-locking pulleys 22 and the rope either pulled upwardly or released, depending upon Whether the chute is to be decreased or increased in length. By means of the rope 18, the sections of the chute may be conveniently and completely foldedagainst the bottom of the hopper, or, if desired, they may rbe partially folded as shown in Figure 3.

In the drawings, it will be noted that when the sections are opened to operable angular position, the sections will be arranged in opposed relation to one another in azig- Zagging manner. Therefore, when the potatoes or other articles are passedv through the chute from an upper floor or bin to a receiving means therebelow, they will be lirst 'delivered into the hopper 5 at the upper end of the chute from which they will be dis- `charged onto the adjacent section and so on down through each successive section. It will therefore be seen that as a result of the angular position of the carrying surface 13 of each section, the travel of the potatoes will be retarded to the extent that vthere will be no danger of bruising or injuring' them in passing them from an upper floor to a lower Hoor-or bin.

I claim as my invention: I

1. A chute comprising a plurality of sections, one section being hinged at its discharge end to the receiving end of the next section for forming oppositely inclined secs tions when in delivering` position, and means for lifting the sections successively from the lower end of the chute upwardly to shorten the length of the chute 2. A vchute comprising a plurality of sections, one section being hinged at its discharge end to the receiving end of the next section for forming oppositelyinclined sec tions when in delivering position and arranged for one section to be folded agamst the next section while the chute is vin delivf ering position to shorten the length of the chute,vand means for lifting thesections to successively fold lone against the other While in delivering position. y

3. A chute comprising a plurality of sections, one section being hinged at its discharge end to the receiving end of the next section for forming oppositely'inclined sections when in delivering position, means on yone section coacting with the hinge of two sections to limit the inclinationcof the section to a predetermined angle, and rmeans for lifting the sections successively yto fold one upon Vthe other to shorten the length of' my hand this 8th day of May, 1924.

ROBERT isiovvnLL. 

